- Ariarne Titmus has spoken out about one of the biggest regrets of his career
- The Olympic champion has been experiencing a few months of effervescence since the Paris Games
Ariarne Titmus opened up about one of the biggest regrets of her swimming career, and the four-time Olympic gold medalist admitted she wants to change the way she thinks going forward.
The 24-year-old dazzled in Paris, defending her 400m freestyle gold medal in Tokyo before taking gold in the 4x200m freestyle race.
The Australian swimming star also took silver in the 200m freestyle, but said she regretted not taking more time to appreciate some of the biggest moments of her career, having established herself as one of Australia’s best swimmers.
Titmus has been in a whirlwind since the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics, claiming he had been living a “polar opposite” life since the Games.
Having been on more than 40 flights over the past four months, Titmus had time to reflect on his career so far and revealed during a Q&A with fans that he hadn’t enjoyed some of the biggest moments of his career.
Reflecting on her first World Championships in Gwangju in 2019, Titmus pointed to a photo of her defeating swimming queen Katie Ledecky to win gold.
Ariarne Titmus has spoken of his regret at not having savored more of some of the most important moments of his career.
The 24-year-old dazzled in Paris, defending her gold medal in the 400m freestyle in Tokyo before taking gold in the 4x200m freestyle race.
She noted how she landed her first World Championship in 2019, where Titmus (center) beat Katie Ledecky (left) to win the title.
“This is me in 2019, becoming a 400 freestyle world champion for the first time,” she said.
“I remember being disappointed in swimming and I was already thinking about what the 2020 Olympics would be like.
“At the time it seemed like the right mindset when you’re going for Olympic gold.
“But in retrospect, I regret not having enjoyed the biggest moments more when I was younger.
“I was always looking ahead to the next thing and didn’t allow myself the grace and time to be proud of myself.”
Titmus is now expected to take a break ahead of the 2025 World Championships, adding that he will travel to Fiji in the coming months for a well-deserved holiday.
But looking ahead, he revealed his goals for his career, saying he wanted to “enjoy special moments more.”
“As I continue to swim, my goals will be to be more present in the moment, enjoy the small special moments with my teammates, and not take anything for granted,” Titmus wrote.
Titmus said she wants to savor bigger moments as her swimming career progresses in the future.
Meanwhile, Titmus has had a busy few months since the conclusion of the Paris Games, having recently been spotted at the Melbourne Cup.
It comes after Titmus also opened up about almost not making it to Paris this year after scans revealed she had two benign tumors on her ovary.
Reflecting on the moment in an interview with Inherited, Titmus stated that she had “put a lot of things into perspective” and that the prospect of infertility had made her realize how much she wanted to be a mother.
Titmus, however, said he hopes to take a break from swimming in the coming months.
‘I’m heading to Fiji after my last engagement of the year for my first solo holiday. It will also be my first vacation from Paris,” he said in the question and answer session.
“I really need some peace and quiet after an incredibly rewarding but busy few months.”